31 Days of Prayer: DAY 10
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FOCUS VERSE: “But this is precisely what is written: God has prepared things for those who love him that no eye has seen, or ear has heard, or that haven’t crossed the mind of any human being.” — 1 Corinthians 2:9 (CEB) |
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PRAYER OF PRESENCE: |
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SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 2:1-10 |
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HYMN FOR REFLECTION: The Sanctifying and Sealing Spirit
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REFLECTION: My father’s family grew up in deep poverty. Life was hard, and opportunities were few. My grandparents, who married at a very young age, moved from the rural parts of the state of Rio de Janeiro to more urban areas, hoping for better opportunities. With three young children to care for and no steady economic prospects, they did whatever work they could find to survive. Still, it was never enough. Everyone in the family had to contribute in some way. My father once told me that, as a young boy, part of his daily walk home from school involved carefully scanning the trash cans of meat markets to see if there was anything that could be salvaged for dinner. Hunger was an ever-present reality. The family practiced an African traditional religion, with my great-grandfather serving as a priest. Their faith was deeply ingrained, offering the promise of miracles and transformation. And yet, their lives remained filled with pain, struggle, and despair. Hope was a distant dream—until one small invitation changed everything. A neighbor invited my father and his brothers to attend Vacation Bible School at the local Methodist church. Not knowing how their family would react, the boys went secretly at first. But when they returned home, their joy and excitement were impossible to hide. They eagerly told their mother what they had experienced, and seeing their happiness, she allowed them to return. Over time, my grandmother began attending church with her boys. She enrolled in self-improvement classes offered by the church and began serving wherever she could. Slowly but surely, the family’s life began to change. They found salvation in Christ—not through grand theological arguments or moral obligations, but through a simple invitation and the transformative good news of the Gospel. As I reflect on Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 2:1-10, I see a similar message of simplicity and power. When Paul preached to the Corinthians, he didn’t rely on eloquence or human wisdom. Instead, he proclaimed “Jesus Christ and him crucified” with humility and in the power of the Spirit. Paul understood that the Gospel’s transformative power didn’t rest in persuasive words or clever arguments but in the simple truth of Christ’s death and resurrection. It wasn’t about human wisdom but about God’s Spirit reaching the hearts of those who would believe. My family’s journey into faith was much the same. It wasn’t doctrine or eloquence that drew them in—it was the simple message of Christ’s love, shared by ordinary people in their community. And yet, too often, we make this Gospel harder to access than it needs to be. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in The Cost of Discipleship, captured this struggle when he wrote: “So many people come to church with a genuine desire to hear what we have to say, yet they are always going back home with the uncomfortable feeling that we are making it too difficult for them to come to Jesus. Are we determined to have nothing to do with all these people? They are convinced that it is not the Word of Jesus himself that puts them off, but the superstructure of human, institutional, and doctrinal elements in our preaching.” How many times have we, as individuals or as the church, placed barriers between people and Christ? How often have we let human traditions, institutional complexities, or doctrinal debates obscure the simplicity of the Gospel? My grandmother didn’t find Christ because someone lectured her on theology or pointed out her faults. She found Him because a neighbor saw her family’s need and extended a simple, heartfelt invitation. The Spirit worked through that small act of kindness, opening the door for transformation. As we reflect on this passage, let us ask ourselves: Are we making it too difficult for others to come to Jesus? Have we allowed human expectations or traditions to obscure the simplicity of the Gospel? And how can we, like Paul, commit to proclaiming “Jesus Christ and him crucified” in all humility, trusting the Spirit to do the transformative work? Let us remember that the Gospel doesn’t need us to make it grand—it needs us to make it accessible. Just as my father’s family found joy and transformation through a simple invitation, so too can others find Christ when we remove the barriers and trust in the power of God’s Spirit. |
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CLOSING PRAYER: Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, |
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WEEKLY PRACTICE: Jan 5 - 11 (Sun - Sat) Confession: Releasing and Seeking Forgiveness in Prayer Let this week be an opportunity to find hope in letting go. When we confess our sins, it is more than a statement. In fact, while a part of our liturgy every Sunday when we receive communion in worship, when we seek forgiveness we humble ourselves and open ourselves to be able to do more than we thought possible. The preferred practices and patterns of life have room to take root within us when we find freedom from our past failures and shortcomings. It’s like cleaning a home of junk food, when all that’s left are things which are good and pleasing to our bodies then there is plenty of room in the mind to take on the healthier habits and practices already available to us. May the forgiving power of grace abound and sin no longer make a home in your heart and mind as you confess in your prayers before God and one another among people of faith. Amen. |
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